


Four times that Steve plays a game and one time he doesn't

by snowynight



Category: Avengers (Comics)
Genre: 5 Things, Angst, Card Games, Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-19
Updated: 2013-01-19
Packaged: 2017-11-26 01:32:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/645051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowynight/pseuds/snowynight





	Four times that Steve plays a game and one time he doesn't

When Steve was in the war, stealing a rare moment of rest yet his body too packed with adrenaline and tension, he would pull out a pack of cards, playing a game of solitaire. It was a relief that in a world of turmoil, he could still follow some clear cut rules and it soothed his nerve. When he was unfrozen, somehow he found a pack of playing cards in his drawer, and he played the same game. Everything changed, but this was a reminder of his past. He had an idea who would put it there, and he was grateful to this small gift.  
  
One night he wandered into the corridor and found that there was a light from the study. Curious, he opened the door and saw the team sponsor, Mr Stark there, with a glass of wine. Playing cards were laid on the table before him. He apologized to Mr. Stark for disturbing him and wanted to leave, but Mr Stark just smiled and said, "The room is big enough for both of us, and call me Tony."  
"Thank you, Mr... Tony." Steve said. He hadn't seen Mr. Stark much and didn't quite know how to deal with him. He thought that Mr. Stark would leave him alone, but then Mr. Stark asked, "Do you want to play a game of cards? Your choice."  
"What about Rummy?" Steve asked, and wondered if nowadays people still played Rummy.  
"Sure." Mr Stark said and he picked up the cards to cut them.  
It was a challenging game of Rummy. Mr Stark was good, very good but Steve wasn't a sloth either. When they finally had to call the game to an end, Steve realized that it was the first time he didn't felt the sense of loneliness.  
  
Steve looked at Iron Man worryingly. After a landslide, Iron Man and him were trapped under piles of stone that even Iron Man would need time to get them out. Frankly, Steve didn't like the situation and although Iron Man didn't say anything, Steve could sense his nervousness. Time for distraction. He didn't have a deck of card with him, but he had an idea.  
"Do you want to play a game of crack the case?" Steve asked.  
Iron Man turned to him. "What's this?"  
"I'll tell you a case scenario, and you'll guess by asking me yes/no questions. I'll only answer you yes, no, possible and irrelevant."  
"Sounds challenging," Iron Man said. "Let's do it."  
Steve started, and he was relieved to see that as Iron Man was focused on finding the solution, the tension in his voice left.  
  
"Let's play a game of Go Fish," She-Hulk said, after the team relaxed in the Avengers mansion and debated for some time what to play.  
Clint asked, playing with his bow. "Won't it be too childish?"  
"Let's see how well you do at a game," Jan said.  
Steve cut the cards and dealt. He looked at his cards and asked, "Tony, do you have any sixes?"  
"Go fish!, old man."  
Steve took a card and the game went on. It was a game of memory and strategy, but more importantly it was based on trust and honour. He would die for the Howling Commandos, but he would never sit down to play Go Fish with them. He looked at Tony and smiled, glad that he had so many good friends.  
  
Tony was missing.  
Steve told him that he did enough for him. He knew the signs of an alcoholic, knew it enough from his father that they were beyond saving. He took the same deck of cards that followed him for over a decade and tried to play a solitaire game.  
When the first card he took out was a black jack, Steve threw it down and stared into the blank.


End file.
